Bittersweet Moments of the Long Distance Relationship Cycle

Oh boy, am I pouring my feelings out to the internet again? You bet.

I am currently on month 4 out of 9 of being in a long-distance relationship. I have discovered that it is like a plot diagram in the space between each time we see one another.

Now, I have to admit that we’d skip the exposition, as we both know each other. Naturally, the next step is the rising action. For us, this is the building up right before seeing each other and usually, I am counting down the days. It’s the “I’ll see you in 15 days❤” texts or the facetimes with the apprehension that we’ll see each other in person soon enough, or even the virtual dates of ordering each other dinner and watching a show together. We make it work, but there’s a sense of nervous longing. I always have someone to miss.

The climax of the plot diagram is experienced the minute we see each other face to face in person again. I finally get to hug him and feel safe. It’s like I can breathe again after so much time has passed. To add, it is also an extreme dopamine rush. All of the cheerful chemicals are flowing inside of my body, like a high of happiness.

However, after the visit that is never enough time comes to the downfall or the falling action. It’s the part in a romance book when the two main characters only have 20 more pages to realize that they are in love with one another, or they have just confessed their feelings for one another but have a dilemma to solve. Either way, it’s suspenseful and could have a poor ending. For me, whether it’s a flight home or a drive back, there’s something in my heart that hurts and I’d give anything to be stuck back in the chapter where the two people in love are together, and nothing else seems to matter.

Suddenly, I remember all the stressful items on my to-do list. I am reminded of what mess I left behind in my apartment, and all the homework that didn’t get done in the timeframe I spent visiting with him. I am back to reality, and it is a hard place knowing my favorite person is 1,000 miles away from me. It is bittersweet trying to hold onto all of the memories made on the past visit while being sad that you’re leaving again.

Finally, there is a resolution. I’m still waiting for mine, as I know that our story will resolve when he moves back to the same city. For now, I am stuck in a limbo cycle between my rising action, climax, and falling action, with very little peace. I am not the main character you want to be living vicariously through right now, as this limbo leaves a section of my heart behind every time. However, I am very blessed to be loved by such an amazing man, and wouldn’t give it up for the world. Long-distance is hard, but he makes this worth it every time.